BUSINESSES TOLD: ‘GO GREEN TO SAVE MONEY'

"Green Is The New Mean", Says 51-Point Green Blueprint

Businesses were today given a blueprint for cutting costs by going green – and told that "green is the new mean". The 51-point plan is published the same week as a study showing that businesses that become greener can boost their value by up to 80%.

The e-Book You Can't Afford NOT To Be Green – 51 Ways Your Business Can Save Money AND The Planet (www.yudu.com/greenbookus) is published by YUDU Media (www.yudu.com), whose website lets anyone publish, share, buy and sell e-Books and other digital documents.

The 51 ways suggested for businesses to go greener range from encouraging lift-sharing to harnessing tax-breaks, solar-charging cell-phones and greening both your heating and air-conditioning; and from banning water-coolers and plastic cups, to sharing computers and switching them off when they're not in use.

The e-Book's launch comes the same week as that of a major study showing that businesses that become greener can raise their value by up to 80% – and those that don't, can put it at serious risk. The study is based on research by McKinsey's and published by the Carbon Trust, a body set up by the UK Government to help foster a lower-carbon economy.

"In tough economic times, individual consumers might regard the green option as a luxury", said Richard Stephenson, YUDU CEO. "For businesses, however, the opposite is true. In tough times, going green is one of the best ways to save money. Green is the new mean."

Most businesses, said Stephenson, would love to be greener, and to cut costs, but don't realise you can do both at once, let alone how best to do so. YUDU's 51-point plan, compiled by journalist Mike Haskins, gives a step-by-step guide.

Businesses collectively waste many millions each day just through poor energy efficiency. Relatively simple measures – most of them detailed in this volume – would help fix this.

YUDU itself saves businesses large sums in print, paper and postage by moving their publications online and simultaneously cuts their CO2 emissions by ensuring that every YUDU publication is carbon neutral – allowing YUDU to call itself "the planet's favourite publisher". Indeed, online publication of the new book has itself saved both thousands on print and paper.

Examples of how businesses can save money and help the planet highlighted in the e-Book include:

• Putting PCs and monitors automatically on sleep, by using the PC's power-management settings can bring annual energy savings of $100-$200 per PC.
• Cutting electricity bill by up to 15% by switching off unneeded lights, with automatic timers, detectors and switches.
• Solar-charging cell-hones, satnav units, PDAs and other hand-held devices.
• Harnessing the many tax breaks available to businesses that use greener and more energy-efficient products.
• Avoiding the print, paper and postage costs of traditional publishing by switching to the new generation of digital brochures, catalogues and leaflets.

The free e-Book can be read at: www.yudu.com/greenbookus or www.yudu.com/greenlibrary.